Russia hands Turkey 'evidence' of Ukrainian attacks on TurkStream pipeline
Russia has handed a diplomatic dossier to Ankara containing what it describes as “evidence” of Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure linked to Turkey, sources familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye.
Russian officials submitted the dossier earlier this month. It reportedly includes maps and other materials purporting to track Ukrainian attacks on the TurkStream pipeline and other energy infrastructure within Russian territory.
Turkish officials have yet to comment publicly on the dossier, but a source familiar with the matter said it had been thoroughly evaluated.
The source also noted that Russia had submitted similar dossiers to several European countries, many of which have maintained limited diplomatic engagement with Moscow since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In January, the Russian defence ministry claimed that Ukrainian forces had targeted a gas compressor station servicing TurkStream in Krasnodar using nine "kamikaze" attack drones.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
According to the ministry, Russian air defence systems intercepted all the drones. However, debris from one caused minor damage to a building and equipment at a gas metering unit.
Last month, Russia again said it had repelled an attack by three Ukrainian drones targeting the same compressor station.
TurkStream, which spans over 930km, is currently the only direct pipeline between Russia and Europe. It passes through Turkish territorial waters in the Black Sea and Turkish Thrace before continuing into Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary as the Balkan Stream.
There is also the Blue Stream pipeline, which runs under the Black Sea and supplies gas directly to the Turkish mainland.
Since 2023, Russia has repeatedly accused Ukraine of attempting to strike the TurkStream pipeline using drones and other means.
A senior Turkish official told MEE last year that Ankara’s assessment aligned with Moscow’s view that Ukraine was indeed targeting the pipeline. The official emphasised that TurkStream is a strategic energy project for both Russia and Turkey, especially as Ankara aims to become a regional energy hub.
Turkey has walked a diplomatic tightrope between Russia and Ukraine since the war began. While Ankara has provided Ukraine with advanced weaponry - including laser-guided missiles, armed drones and ammunition - it has also maintained trade relations and diplomatic channels with Moscow.
TurkStream delivers 31 billion cubic metres of gas annually to Turkey, while the Blue Stream pipeline supplies another 16 billion cubic metres.
Turkish dissatisfaction with the situation became more apparent in January, when Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar publicly confirmed that an attack had occurred on TurkStream. He added that gas flow remained uninterrupted.
German magazine Der Spiegel reported last year that Ukraine’s then-commander-in-chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, had planned a naval operation in the Black Sea in late 2022 to target the TurkStream pipeline. According to the magazine, the operation ultimately failed.
Both Russia and Ukraine have targeted each other's energy infrastructure.
Last month, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a US-brokered proposal for a 30-day moratorium on attacks against each other’s energy facilities.
However, both sides have since repeatedly accused one another of violating the agreement. The deal was part of a broader diplomatic push by US President Donald Trump, who returned to office in January, to bring an end to the conflict.
Earlier this month, Russia’s defence ministry said that Ukraine had increased its strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, hitting targets 14 times in just 24 hours, despite the moratorium. Ukraine’s military dismissed the claim as “fake” and “disinformation”.
In a statement published on Telegram, the ministry said Ukraine had “multiplied the number of unilateral attacks using drones and artillery shells on the energy infrastructure of Russian regions”.
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
